TEENAGE NUREMBERG (RRR/Pure CD, 1995) - Easiest way of getting hold of a representative sample of original 82/83 material. Difficult listening: pure noise music done a long time before noise music became a genre. Shortwave radio, primitive delay and distortion effects, some ranting and incoherent vocals about 'National Socialism' on the live title track. Strange outro sampling John Lennon and amusing segment showing how unimpressed his schoolmates were with the project.
HORN OF THE GOAT (Freek CD, 1995) - Co-credited to Merzbow but I believe this should be considered purely as a CE album (the only 1990s output) as Masami Akita's input was minimal - members of Ramleh seem to have had more to do with it. Varied collection of samples, electronics and drones all with an alien and unfriendly vibe, well mixed with a professional feel to it. Reference points include the Moors Murders, wartime sex slavery, Leonard Lake, Sally Mann. Very downbeat record.
NOBODY'S UGLY - (No Fun LP, 2007) Two long soundscape pieces which according to the listener's mood can be either transcendent or set the nerves on edge. Black Cotton Wool on side one works better - that title is a reference from Gitta Sereny's 'Cries Unheard'. William Bennett is credited as 'producer' and some of these sounds were later reused on the first Cut Hands album.
CROWD PLEASER (Hand To Mouth LP, 2009) - I would recommend this above all others, one of my favourite records of the last decade. Side two is a piece similar to the previous album but side one has five sections of individual 'songs' done with help from Mattin - ultra powerful rushes of noise violence over which quite distressing lyrics are bellowed in a very angry voice. I noticed some input taken from the memoirs of alcoholic UK footballer Paul Gascoigne, and from Deborah Spungen's famous book about her daughter, but this is mostly a personal and autobiographical kind of performance poetry in a similar style to his tracks with late era Whitehouse. Crazy, aggressive and very intense material.
SEX PIG - USA LIVE (Artecnico/Gift CD, 2013) - New Japanese release with an edited version of a 2008 show which featured Mark Solotroff helping out. Title is from a vigilante flyer sent to Peter Sotos's mother in the 1980s. Rushes of drunken and squalid noise with a rowdy sounding crowd who have to be told to step backwards "or Daddy won't continue" in classic heavy metal show style. Crowd Pleaser and late Whitehouse lyric shards which sound especially strange when performed acappella over a howling audience. A lot of atmosphere in this recording, you can almost smell the alcohol ODs, the increasingly unsavoury conversations, the next day's regrets.
Of course the RRR 's 3xLP box is essential for old material. Unfortunately not full length tapes, but even as edited LPs, really good!
And even if I may have been somewhat critical of Best collages, in long run, I think his American Campgrounds book actually grows. And quantity of material contributes to create something much more than one single or handful of collages.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on April 21, 2013, 05:51:17 PM
And even if I may have been somewhat critical of Best collages, in long run, I think his American Campgrounds book actually grows. And quantity of material contributes to create something much more than one single or handful of collages.
I'm not sure how true this story is but I heard that James at Creation was quite worried about the legal consequences of publishing that. Yet any perversion or malice in the collection is very much in the eye of the beholder: the book works as a kind of Rorschach Test.
What you don't get in print or scanned on screen is the physicality of the collages: I have a small original and it's been heavily worked on with black paint, tape, staples and a liberal coating of glue for a crude lamination effect - well, I hope it's just glue at least.
An entertaining 'Desert Island Discs' type show with Consumer Electronics is at https://soundcloud.com/resonance-fm/22-30-00-abject-bloc/
Awesome, thank you very much! CE has interested me very much, but i admit i really never knew much about them. that Stream is quite entertaining as well, Thanks
Any sources for the 'Sex Pig' release?
Quote from: cipher chris on April 22, 2013, 03:11:22 AM
Any sources for the 'Sex Pig' release?
And is the recording from NFF?
Quote from: ConcreteMascara on April 23, 2013, 08:44:43 PM
Quote from: cipher chris on April 22, 2013, 03:11:22 AM
Any sources for the 'Sex Pig' release?
And is the recording from NFF?
Philip posted it on his website. vague information, tracklist is there however.
http://philipbest.blogspot.com/2013/04/campgrounds-live.html
Sex Pig recording is from 09-06-08 - Apop - St Louis.
Hope it's OK to kind of relevantly spam this forthcoming London Consumer Electronics show here. Sorry if it bothers people but wouldn't want anyone to miss out:
(http://www.cementimental.com/images/flyers/ce_25may_flyer_web_2.gif)
Copies of Sex Pig will be available at this event.
Full details here = http://www.special-interests.net/forum/index.php?board=8.0
"I firmly believe after this performance that people should have to apply for licence to be able to create sound; this can surely only be endured, let alone enjoyed, by the most autistic of the autistic." - you really can't buy reviews like that - http://www.thrashhits.com/2013/05/live-deafheaven-the-secret-consumer-electronics-london-borderline-09-may-2013/
Any reports on the one last night?
Always found these guys to be much better in terms of sound than Whitehouse. Unpopular as it may be, Whitehouse doesn't scratch my itch for aggression like other pe acts of the time.
Quote from: HongKongGoolagong on May 26, 2013, 06:12:54 PM
Any reports on the one last night?
I don't have and haven't yet seen any proper review but it was great times, really enjoyed everyone's set and had fun playing my own, and there was one of the most active crowd reactions to a Consumer Electronics show I've seen, lost of moshing and attempted stagediving. I remember years ago a tiny bit of that sort of action happened at a CE show and a load of standing-at-the-back chin-strokers were getting upset about it on the Sue Lawley forums, maybe times and audience have changed. :)
Quote from: Cementimental on May 28, 2013, 05:58:09 PMthere was one of the most active crowd reactions to a Consumer Electronics show I've seen, lost of moshing and attempted stagediving
Glad to hear that, standing stock still 'appreciating' a visceral cathartic piece of psychodrama/performance seems unrealistic to me and it's why I stopped going to Whitehouse shows when they became a two-piece although still liked the records. Real violence of the sort you get in normal bars/nightclubs is never any good but in the old days you'd half expect to go home covered in beer and bruises as part of the fun. On one occasion Sotos's blood was all over my shirt.
Quote from: cipher chris on April 22, 2013, 03:11:22 AM
Any sources for the 'Sex Pig' release?
An update on this would be much appreciated.
Quote from: Mikerdeath on May 30, 2013, 03:37:46 AM
Quote from: cipher chris on April 22, 2013, 03:11:22 AM
Any sources for the 'Sex Pig' release?
An update on this would be much appreciated.
Got my copy straight from Philip & Sarah but seems like they already sold out their copies. In some parts there's some awkwardness but overall quite solid album in my opinion. Loving Philip's vocals!
Photos from the show here, possibly depending on facebook permissions, let me know if you can/can't see... https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151450689103461.1073741831.717218460
Quote from: Scat-O-Logy on May 30, 2013, 12:00:21 PM
Got my copy straight from Philip & Sarah but seems like they already sold out their copies. In some parts there's some awkwardness but overall quite solid album in my opinion. Loving Philip's vocals!
Cool! Maybe you could grab me one if your not too busy.
Quote from: Cementimental on May 30, 2013, 05:34:46 PM
Photos from the show here, possibly depending on facebook permissions, let me know if you can/can't see... https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151450689103461.1073741831.717218460
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Miker, like I said, Philip & Sarah already sold out their copies. Sorry dude!
For those of you who can't view the pics, here's all you need. Belly worship to the XXXtrem!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/971093_10151450697238461_1846632727_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/600440_10151450699033461_626601831_n.jpg)
This was posted by Philip Best in the Consumer Electronics facebook group this morning:
Consumer Electronics: Estuary English.
1) Teknon.
2) Affirmation
3) Sex Offender Boyfriend
4) Come Clean
5) Co-Opted By Cunts
6) Estuary English
7) Air Lock.
Produced by Russell Haswell. Coming in February 2014.
New direction for CE: Thoughts? (http://youtu.be/zBk9spD4XW8)
I guess i won't be buying that new record. Show in Belgium last month was pretty weak..
Consumer Electronics goes Cut Hands... This is sad. I still like Philip's vocals but music and Sarah's vocals are fucking crap!
We can only hope non of the new album tracks are nothing like that abomination. Good fucking grief.
ha I know cameraphone is no way to judge (I was at the Merzbow / Tim Hecker show elsewhere in town) but why are noise/pe 'beats' never even extreme or experimental as most mainstream dance beats let alone like 90% of underground hard dance music :D
I like it, atleast its not the usual and its obviously provoking a response.
indeed, there is that. I bet I've have enjoyed it if I was there anyway.
There is something strangely "anti" about that. I'm not sure what, but I'm intrigued as to where it goes from there.
Techno is the nursing home of old school Industrialists.
It is trying to be provoking, that's all. It is just upset people that someone like Philip Best could do so much more than just stock bass beats. Going where the rim is lowest. But then again who am I to judge his decisions, just saying my personal opinion. The stuff Bennet does nowdays is downright horrible, a true downfall of his musical self.
Quote from: Leewar on April 20, 2014, 02:11:49 PM
I like it, atleast its not the usual and its obviously provoking a response.
But it is the usual, isn't it? I can't think of anything more common in the canon of once great industrial artists than to eventually turn into ultra boring, insipid dance music with shit vocals. It provokes a response because it is awful and it doesn't make anyone who says so some kind of purist sheep.
It hardly sounds like ace of base, but yeah i like that idea, infact id love to do a track with Stock/Aitken/Waterman, ultra clean cheesy synths etc etc...with 'interesting' lyrics.
What a great combination....but what do i know?
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on April 20, 2014, 11:25:02 PM
Who is Russell Haswell? The name looks familiar.
He's a... guy, hah.. Released some stuff on the swedish label Ideal, did a great job mastering a Kevin Drumm recording. Don't know much more than that.
didnt best do a techno lp a long time ago? some times it get boring standing still and you just have to move...
Russell Haswell has done stuff with merzbow and has a release off ideal
There are psychological games going on in Philip's work and methods of presentation to say the very least. That clip didn't do much for me musically at all but remember he's made techno-indie-rap, prog-influenced stuff and a heavy metal album without drums in the past as well as all the noisy CE stuff. The drooling scrapbook-licking nipple-tweaking park flasher stage act of a year or two ago had I think quite a lot to do with fucking with the audience's preconceptions and providing a parody of his public image.
The album is out by summer via Dirter as a double vinyl set and I'm told by someone who's heard the master that it sounds stunning.
camera phone recording is no way to judge the music properly but despite that this feels like generic techno with best's vocals. Maybe in some strange way the upcoming material proves to be good? Won't be holding my breath though.
Quote from: HongKongGoolagong on April 21, 2014, 08:09:57 AM
prog-influenced stuff
What stuff would this be? I'd love to hear that. Outrageous lack of prog within industrial in general.
I've heard stories of some unreleased or under the radar material which is flat out new order style thump with Phil's clean singing over the top. Also pretty desperate to hear that.
I saw / heard one electro 12" of his at place of one UK guy. I think cover didn't make it very clear it was Best's project, but still quite simple indication he certainly did some sort of electro music before it was "trendy" within scene. Not much to say about live clip. I'll wait for the album.
Quote from: Duncan on April 21, 2014, 01:27:46 PM
Quote from: HongKongGoolagong on April 21, 2014, 08:09:57 AM
prog-influenced stuff
What stuff would this be? I'd love to hear that. Outrageous lack of prog within industrial in general.
I've heard stories of some unreleased or under the radar material which is flat out new order style thump with Phil's clean singing over the top. Also pretty desperate to hear that.
The 'prog' I was thinking of is Ramleh's Be Careful What You Wish For era on which high concept ruled and his Yamaha synth was high in the mix - one of their long pieces from that time Anaheim '73 is named after an ELP bootleg.
A lot of people want to hear the full album of Worried Well material but the very rare 12" which I have is a straight-up and angst-ridden New Order homage and it's really not that interesting unless you know who made it.
I've lived with Estuary English for a couple of weeks now (Dirter Productions DPROMDLP108 2 X 12" with CD, soon) and should maybe give some thoughts. The music is very varied throughout. The opening track Teknon is a kind of anti-music of seemingly random synth blurts which is a shock to the ears. Co-Opted By Cunts does appear in the 'disco' version but sounds much better than that youtube clip - it's like a cross between TG and Digital Hardcore with some squelchy frequencies - that's the only track remotely like dance music. Come Clean is a remake of Cockpit from the previous CE album but now buried under sheets of distortion and vile noise. Affirmation starts like a minimal version of Hamburger Lady and has a shocking twenty seconds where the synths almost but not quite become a melody before it deteriorates into hiss and squalls as an especially vitriolic lyric full of cranky put-downs gets ranted. Air Lock is simply a thirty second spoken poem about death/rebirth with possible religious overtones - I've spotted a few Biblical references in the lyrics but don't worry, this isn't a Christian album any more than it's a Techno album - it's definitely Noise, and it's much closer to Whitehouse's output from their last ten years than it is to Cut Hands. There are some distinctly WHesque instant classic nasty phrases - like a disgusted sounding "rotten English booze tits" from the title track.
Standout track for me now is Sex Offender Boyfriend. Some distant beats mixed very oddly with electronic groans with a completely psychotic vocal delivery, tearing his throat apart as a three-part story unfolds - first section very enigmatic and mysterious and ends with "this gift I give you, don't lose it" , then the narrator is taking some photos and getting someone to pose, and the final part has a pervert with bin-liners over his windows which have been put through apparently looking at the pictures? "You weren't here, you didn't fucking lose it". Weird and unsettling. The lyric sheet is very long and obviously has had a lot of work put into it. I can spot things I remember from Philip's blog but now re-ordered unfamiliarly. I can spot a Sinead O'Connor quote from one of her public meltdowns and at least one William Blake reference. But lots of this writing, I'm not sure what the hell it's about really. It all sounds very worrying and upsetting and there's a lot of swearing. No surprise there then.
^Thanks for that description! Sounds awesome!!!
(INFORMATION REMOVED)
For those who missed the comments in the "Butthurt" thread about the price... "Estuary English" is now available for preorder from Dirter (http://www.dirter.co.uk/shop.html).
The sample track, "Sex Offender Boyfriend", sounds really good to my ears. As HongKongGoolagong has pointed out, intense and somewhat deranged-sounding vocals! Despite the steep price, I am looking forward to this album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtyfjiZMI8w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtyfjiZMI8w)
Sounds great, vocals sound strangely almost Black metal in places.
I must be listening different kind of black metal then...
With vocal track that has very different delivery pace than any music going on. That it has some throaty rawness, still kind of pissed off shouted HC vocals than almost any "BM" style. However, it is of course better than having "BM vocals".
Stuff with more noise over techno beats is better and I'd hope noise would go during vocal parts as well.
I was referring to Bm that has the less 'evil' vocals and more the genuine malice (niden div 187 / old Bethlehem etc etc..)
Quote from: Cementimental on April 20, 2014, 01:15:29 PM
'beats'
Quote from: Cementimental on April 20, 2014, 01:15:29 PM
dance beats
Quote from: Cementimental on April 20, 2014, 01:15:29 PM
underground hardcore dance music
Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on April 20, 2014, 04:31:17 PM
Techno
Quote from: MT on April 20, 2014, 05:16:40 PM
bass beats
Quote from: Duncan on April 20, 2014, 06:43:39 PM
ultra boring, insipid dance music
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on April 20, 2014, 11:25:02 PM
beats
Quote from: STREETMEAT on April 21, 2014, 06:43:42 AM
techno
Quote from: HongKongGoolagong on April 21, 2014, 08:09:57 AM
techno-indie-rap, prog-influenced stuff and a heavy metal album without drums
Quote from: F_c_O on April 21, 2014, 10:24:35 AM
generic techno
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on April 21, 2014, 03:49:03 PM
electro
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on September 04, 2014, 08:40:10 AM
techno beats
So, a real scorcher in the 2010's tradition, eh?
Quote from: Leewar on September 04, 2014, 11:54:49 AM
I was referring to Bm that has the less 'evil' vocals and more the genuine malice (niden div 187 / old Bethlehem etc etc..)
It seems that for decade or so, perhaps with increasingly pace, EVERYTHING is referred to be "like black metal". Even if we talk about things so common like "distorted guitar", "fast drumming", "melancholic music".
Saying "black metal vocals" and referring to couple bands that have vocalist that stood out for being untypical and perhaps bands that consciously tried to do something else than "black metal vocals"... ? Or one could perhaps just say CE vocal delivery is pretty damn
power electronics - except that he stands out there as well as pretty unique performer ;)
I know Best wants to keep vocals clean. No effects, distortions etc. When lyrics are starting to blur anyways, vocals becoming as much "musical element" as "narration", something that treats it as element of electronic music could be good addition. I'm still curious about whole album. I hope some copies would make it to usual "noise distributors". If its distribution is organized via some indie wholesaler, then it remains to be seen when/if I'd get it.
It was a quick observation, i just typed down what came into my head as i listened to it.
Perhaps a better description would of been 'Rabid'.
Utter shit
well I'd like to hear it- but I wouldn't pay 30 quid for the privilege
Thirty quid? Jesus, I was thinking of getting it, but - feck that. Is it limited to 20, or what?
Sounds great actually after all! :) The beats are, to my ear, not at all in the vein of 'noise dudes attempt techno' I was moaning about earlier but more in the tradition of old school industrial basic drummachine stuff, and the vocals are really incredible :D
QuoteThirty quid? Jesus, I was thinking of getting it, but - feck that. Is it limited to 20, or what?
It's a studio-recorded limited 500 2xLP + CD release by a 'big name' noise artist, not cheap but not shockingly unexpected really either in this day and age.
From what ive heard it sounds great, something new and interesting.
Ill take this anyday over the usual pretending to be a serial killer or safe nigger hating content that this 'scene' is full of.
Even more so when it has Black metal vocals.
Quote from: Cementimental on September 05, 2014, 12:13:40 PM
It's a studio-recorded limited 500 2xLP + CD release by a 'big name' noise artist, not cheap but not shockingly unexpected really either in this day and age.
Denis Blackham mastering certainly doesn't come cheap. There will be extra complaints when people see what the album's running time is - in the tradition of those extremely brief classic Whitehouse releases. I ordered it anyway despite getting a CD-R promo - it's a great, dense and ambitious album which really did take five year's work, I saw all those strands coming together via the blog and live shows - imagine the sleeve as an art print and the lyric booklet as a poetry publication as part of the overall cost.
Quote from: C601 on September 05, 2014, 04:33:17 AMUtter shit
Judging by that sample I'm afraid I'm gonna to have to agree with you. Shitty sample + crazy price = not getting it. However, in case some more tracks surface and they are better, I'm willing to reconsider.
Quote from: HongKongGoolagong on September 05, 2014, 06:46:10 PM
Quote from: Cementimental on September 05, 2014, 12:13:40 PM
It's a studio-recorded limited 500 2xLP + CD release by a 'big name' noise artist, not cheap but not shockingly unexpected really either in this day and age.
Denis Blackham mastering certainly doesn't come cheap. There will be extra complaints when people see what the album's running time is - in the tradition of those extremely brief classic Whitehouse releases. I ordered it anyway despite getting a CD-R promo - it's a great, dense and ambitious album which really did take five year's work, I saw all those strands coming together via the blog and live shows - imagine the sleeve as an art print and the lyric booklet as a poetry publication as part of the overall cost.
To get a copy in the US straight from the label is $65. That's retarded. The sleeve is not an art print, the booklet is not a poetry publication. They're just the sleeve and booklet. The vast majority of albums on vinyl in all genres come with sleeves and booklets. So fuck that. And the mastering or studio time was expensive? So? Albums shouldn't be priced on the studio or mastering cost, that's absurd.
Quote from: ConcreteMascara on September 05, 2014, 10:18:30 PM
To get a copy in the US straight from the label is $65. That's retarded.
It will probably end up being listened to more via filesharing - I guess Crowd Pleaser was too.
Quote from: ConcreteMascara on September 05, 2014, 10:18:30 PM
ooklet. The vast majority of albums on vinyl in all genres come with sleeves and booklets. So fuck that. And the mastering or studio time was expensive? So? Albums shouldn't be priced on the studio or mastering cost, that's absurd.
I agree, and I felt the same way when reading a comment about tip-on sleeves and not interested in paying $30 because cover cost. Manufacturing a tip-on sleeve is not an acceptable reason to charge $30, $40, $50 for an LP (especially because Feral Ward can do it and charge $12-15 for a very nice looking album).
Quote from: HongKongGoolagong on September 05, 2014, 06:46:10 PM
ambitious album which really did take five year's work
I feel oddly drawn to paraphrase Best himself (RE: doing his PhD) in some interview where he says something like '4 years is arguably too long a time in which to complete any project'.
The sample had me laughing out loud. Total absurdity to my mind and ears, but then I've always thought Whitehouse and solo projects were undervalued as articles of British comedy more than anything else.
SO...
I DEFINITELY wont buy it
I MIGHT download it and listen to it once and PROBABLY wont like it
however
I will CERTAINLY still think the world of Consumer Electronics regardless of this album because the fact remains that - duff record or not - Phil Best is an artist who manages to do way more in a single swipe than many do throughout their entire creative output. I think I can allow him an album I'm not into for that reason alone. Perhaps it is one of those things where I'm glad it exists but I don't want to listen to it. That said, if the next record sounds shit I'll probably write it off...personally, I've got my fingers crossed that the next thing he does is early Scott Walker style schmaltz but you can't have it all. I once watched him deep in the throes of getting his nipples sucked against a bin outside a London venue having just finished a pretty heavy set and I think that cemented him as a faultless legend in my heart there and then. Hope for us all etc.
The release is two vinyl albums and a cd, so thirty English pounds seems about right for a package like that. The problem, as always, is vinyl itself. I've ranted about how redundant a format it is before so I wont repeat myself.
By the way, found this in a 1996 interview with Bennett -
Quote"It wouldn't work!", he says of dance and techno-related music forms. "Dance music functions well for people to dance to- but that would only dilute the potency and purity of a sound that aspires to more extreme emotions. Also, dance music dates very, very quickly- I want music to be timeless."
- okay, nearly ten years old, but still good for a smirk.
30 quid for two slabs of vinyl and a CD is pretty good value if you were getting three different albums....
Doesn't make a difference what's on the actual items, they'll still need to recoup their manufacture costs. People aren't paying for the music, they're paying for the objects.
That's true. However, this thing where you have to buy a package consisting of LP and CD of the same thing is, I think, a bit rich. Granted, there are things I own on both CD and vinyl, but that was through choice. Usually I'd only buy one or the other. It's becoming done a fair bit now, those CD + LP packages, so I suppose there must be some demand but, as I say, to have to pay extra for something you might not want feels like a bit of a cod.
Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on September 06, 2014, 05:16:13 AM
The release is two vinyl albums and a cd, so thirty English pounds seems about right for a package like that. The problem, as always, is vinyl itself. I've ranted about how redundant a format it is before so I wont repeat myself.
By the way, found this in a 1996 interview with Bennett -
Quote"It wouldn't work!", he says of dance and techno-related music forms. "Dance music functions well for people to dance to- but that would only dilute the potency and purity of a sound that aspires to more extreme emotions. Also, dance music dates very, very quickly- I want music to be timeless."
- okay, nearly ten years old, but still good for a smirk.
You mean twenty? Hehe...
I think it's perfectly OK for anyone to totally contradict themselves. People sometimes see it as a sign of weakness but I think it's actually a great strength to confidently change one's mind in artistic matters etc. It's the problem of others if they cannot keep along. It'll necessarily cause some smirking etc. of course which should be expected, and accepted.
But - related to the interview quoted above - I remember reading this very good blog entry of his some years ago. Whenever I've heard Cut Hands I've always thought of it. Puts the present work into a rather comical light. Only 6 years ago:
http://williambennett.blogspot.fi/2008/07/proclivities.html (http://williambennett.blogspot.fi/2008/07/proclivities.html)
Quotereally worthy artistic expression is borne from great craftmanship and purpose, design in itself has no value and no meaning. This was something I noticed, and continue to notice, with experimental music. It's a real challenge to play a synth and just stick to playing 3 distinct sounds without variation - the temptation to fiddle around, playing rhythms and melodies, is almost irresistible. A great craftsman has the strength to resist.
Listened to the sample. Vocal delivery I like, technoish background not that much. For £30 not going to buy one. Just wondering if Consumer Electronics is really such a big name indie-wise that one can sell 500 copies with such price? Well, perhaps indieshops are used to carrying overpriced records for years?
Double-12" can be justsified if the sound quality really benefits from big cutting. Selling a cd with the vinyls just gives an impression that vinyl mastering actually have not been top notch - here you have the vinyls you can take a picture of and the cd you actually want to listen. Not saying this is the case here, just talking generally.
Quote from: Ernpe on September 06, 2014, 03:13:15 PM
Listened to the sample. Vocal delivery I like, technoish background not that much. For £30 not going to buy one. Just wondering if Consumer Electronics is really such a big name indie-wise that one can sell 500 copies with such price? Well, perhaps indieshops are used to carrying overpriced records for years?
The webshop says that they are planning that want will outstrip demand. I really get annoyed by this sort of attitude.
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on September 06, 2014, 10:50:33 PM
How do you know people are only paying for the object & not the music? My guess is that they'll listen to the music & as long as it isn't your money, what difference does it make?
The point was about the cost of the release, not the music. Neither of which mean much to me, I'm more interested in this discussion.
The clip sounds good. £30 for a good pressing is fine. I have pre- ordered myself.
His vocals sound like a deranged cartman from south park..
from the youtube streaming of that song doesnt seem "techno" at all. really a solid step up from the work best has done before. excited for this to come out.
Pre-ordered the "Estuary English" set. Following e-mail came shortly after purchase:
"ESTUARY ENGLISH UPDATE – Dirter extend sincere apologies, but the entire
pressing of "Estuary English" has had to be returned following an
unsatisfactory job by the printers of the album sleeve. Sorry to labour the
point but everything about this album has to be 100% as we intended and 100%
as we paid for. As a consequence, shipping will be delayed by approx. 14
days. We will be contacting all who pre-ordered with further info."
Received it this week. At one listen it sounds really good, haven't listened to vinyl version yet. If you liked Nobody's Ugly and Crowd Pleaser you probably will like this too. You can always question the price, especially for such a short album (less than 25 mins!), but I have paid bigger amounts for absolute garbage so I think I won't complain... this time.
ordered... vocals on the youtube teaser are absolute classic
It's £20 on boomkat which isn't bad for 2xLP + CD.
Quote from: Marko-V on October 31, 2014, 11:12:11 AM
such a short album (less than 25 mins!)
Sorry, twenty five minutes over two 12" vinyl lps?
Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on October 31, 2014, 02:45:31 PM
Quote from: Marko-V on October 31, 2014, 11:12:11 AM
such a short album (less than 25 mins!)
Sorry, twenty five minutes over two 12" vinyl lps?
yep
A1 Teknon 3:19
A2 Affirmation 3:06
B1 Sex Offender Boyfriend 4:27
B2 Come Clean 2:00
C Co-Opted 5:18
D1 Estuary English 2:51
D2 Air Lock 0:30
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on October 31, 2014, 06:23:07 PM
CE has a recent live set up on their bandcamp. I listened to it earlier in the week then forgot about it. Some of it is good until Philip takes a hit of helium & starts shrieking like a teenage girl.
that's a joke, right? if not, well it sounds like a girl cos it was a girl! sarah did some vocals too.
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on October 31, 2014, 06:23:07 PMCE has a recent live set up on their bandcamp.
Best thing all year... Can't stop laughing! :D
I was there and the Friday night's entertainment was very strange on the whole tbh, didn't help my comprehension what I'd drunk, but the Thursday night was crazier from the sound of this - http://thequietus.com/articles/16595-consumer-electronics-estuary-english-review
Sarah's ultra vicious psycho sounding vocals are great, I've heard the version of the next single due on Diagonal Recs with Philip singing/speaking but really her take was actually better http://www.discogs.com/Sudden-Infant-Consumer-Electronics-Sleaford-Mods-Harbinger-Sound-The-100-Club/release/6228616
Before it all went downhill ;)
https://consumer-electronics.bandcamp.com/album/chicago-enemy-29-aug-2008
PB
Listened to this a couple of times now. Co-opted is the only track that could be described as techno leaning. Refreshingly short and clinical album. Both the record and CD sound great and based on pure sound quality the release is well worth the above average price. Agree that in terms of pricing would have probably been more reasonable to have the option to buy vinyl and CD separately but then I'm the kind of sucker that would've splashed out on the vinyl anyway. Not listened enough to be able to compare the two different mastering jobs.
Too short but thoroughly enjoyable
It's pretty great, some truly outlandish vocalisations!
My friend sent me rip of a new albums and this is terrible! His vocals still spitting poison as well but I can't deal with stupid digital techno.
2x12" of less than 30 mins material sounds like money begging. No thanx!
No complaints of price or amount of material from me. I know I'd accept such thing pretty much from any favorite band anyways. But what I'd complain is just that sounds are almost exclusively pretty crap. Vocals are good as always, but despite great work on mastering/cutting vinyl, the actual sound work is so "computer generated" sounding, occasionally almost like 8bit nintendo electronics?! When things get layered more, it's better. Gets closer to previous albums, but without sounding at all the time-stretch whitehouse kind of stuff. One track with some vocal effects perhaps the best here. But I'd say indeed about half of material here would qualify as sort of electro-beat music. Listened this 3 times now, and thinking that maybe once more, from the CD that was included. To hear if there is any signifant difference.
I have feeling, that this type of sound has quite firm divisions of lovers and haters. That latters ones will not be able to listen "songs" after they encourter the sound what appers dull and silly.
Structure, composition, pacing of sounds and vocals, energy of vocals etc. that all I do like, but this sound style is something I know I most likely won't get over. In live situation, with enough rawness from speakers... I can see I'd like the tracks to certain extent.
I wasn't expecting to like this after hearing it was "technoise" (a fucking awful descriptor), but I've come around. I agree with Mikko about the sounds being a bit weak - it's too bad the harshest sounds are on Come Clean which is essentially a remix of Cockpit. The electronics on Crowd Pleaser and Nobody's Ugly are great, so it's too bad the electronics are weak. (Whitehouse holds the crown in terms of sounds made by any and all projects by WH and it's members). If it were not for Best's vocals or his legacy, there's no doubt I'd have skipped over Estuary English.
It's easy to sum this thing up - total rip off. Big name, big ornate release, big hype and big bucks to pay for it. Total fucking rip off. Apparently Cut Hands is going to release a double twelve inch vinyl soon.
Yea, it's your money...do something useful next time and wipe your arse with it or something.
Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on November 29, 2014, 04:08:44 PM
It's easy to sum this thing up - total rip off. Big name, big ornate release, big hype and big bucks to pay for it. Total fucking rip off. Apparently Cut Hands is going to release a double twelve inch vinyl soon.
Yea, it's your money...do something useful next time and wipe your arse with it or something.
The same thoughts. Sometimes (maybe more often than only "sometimes") big names are weaker and weaker with time. Why not if people buy their works due to "these" NAMES, instead of MUSIC? These NAMES needn't demand of ourselves.
I didn't pay so it's pretty good for free
I only heard the first song but based on that I'm still gonna buy it regardless of the somewhat laughable negative comments here.
Quote from: ImpulsyStetoskopu on November 29, 2014, 10:39:20 PM
Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on November 29, 2014, 04:08:44 PM
It's easy to sum this thing up - total rip off. Big name, big ornate release, big hype and big bucks to pay for it. Total fucking rip off. Apparently Cut Hands is going to release a double twelve inch vinyl soon.
Yea, it's your money...do something useful next time and wipe your arse with it or something.
The same thoughts. Sometimes (maybe more often than only "sometimes") big names are weaker and weaker with time. Why not if people buy their works due to "these" NAMES, instead of MUSIC? These NAMES needn't demand of ourselves.
This is just idealism. People are going to have their choices strongly informed by recognized names/brands/affiliations, etc. Street art faggots would shell out hundreds for a terrible piece touted as a Banksy piece. People are going to shop recognized, usual and trusted designer of clothing before they venture to purchase from an unusual designer. I would and do buy loads of books by authors I've read and enjoyed before I take a chance on an author I've never heard of. Phillip Best of Whitehouse, Ramleh and Consumer Electronics is going to move more units of even a shoddy release than the greatest undiscovered release made by some lame-ass nobody's heard of.
Why is this an issue? It's just the way things are.
Quote from: simulacrum on November 30, 2014, 10:04:56 AM
Quote from: ImpulsyStetoskopu on November 29, 2014, 10:39:20 PM
Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on November 29, 2014, 04:08:44 PM
It's easy to sum this thing up - total rip off. Big name, big ornate release, big hype and big bucks to pay for it. Total fucking rip off. Apparently Cut Hands is going to release a double twelve inch vinyl soon.
Yea, it's your money...do something useful next time and wipe your arse with it or something.
The same thoughts. Sometimes (maybe more often than only "sometimes") big names are weaker and weaker with time. Why not if people buy their works due to "these" NAMES, instead of MUSIC? These NAMES needn't demand of ourselves.
This is just idealism. People are going to have their choices strongly informed by recognized names/brands/affiliations, etc. Street art faggots would shell out hundreds for a terrible piece touted as a Banksy piece. People are going to shop recognized, usual and trusted designer of clothing before they venture to purchase from an unusual designer. I would and do buy loads of books by authors I've read and enjoyed before I take a chance on an author I've never heard of. Phillip Best of Whitehouse, Ramleh and Consumer Electronics is going to move more units of even a shoddy release than the greatest undiscovered release made by some lame-ass nobody's heard of.
Why is this an issue? It's just the way things are.
I don't care about so called PEOPLE, and so called THEIR NEEDS...
Lol okay *~crAzy gUy~*
I'm just outlining some very basic human psychology that you either failed to acknowledge or failed to accept prior to your first post.
That live clip with the Lambada beat and his chick behind a bunch of gear he has to help her with is well funny.
Quote from: GEWALTMONOPOL on November 30, 2014, 09:11:28 PM
That live clip with the Lambada beat and his chick behind a bunch of gear he has to help her with is well funny.
Where? :)
Actually it's about ethics in power electronics journalism
I love how after all these years, and the fact it now seems cool to slag off anything and everything that Bennett/Sotos/Best do after whitehouse, that they can still have such a impact.
How many of the 'artists' of today will still be putting noses out of joint years later? Not many i wager.
Quote from: Leewar on December 01, 2014, 12:46:53 PM
I love how after all these years, and the fact it now seems cool to slag off anything and everything that Bennett/Sotos/Best do after whitehouse, that they can still have such a impact.
How many of the 'artists' of today will still be putting noses out of joint years later? Not many i wager.
I would assume it has more to do with "bands you know". Logically known bands are more likely to receive critics for flaws than bands people don't know and haven't heard. Guys who used to do killer stuff, but gradually did less interesting, do receive critic for it?
Lets think,... Prurient? Wolf Eyes? Merzbow? etc etc. Latest NON, TG reunion, all sorts of stuff what receives critic from listeners. I'm sure this is valid for any good band that turns a lot less interesting.
I have been highly critical for some later days Gary Mundy works, but latest Kleistwahr CD is pretty good. Certainly much much better than latest CE, Whitehouse, Wolf Eyes, NON, or such was. Previous LP I hated. This one liked.
Quote from: simulacrum on November 30, 2014, 10:04:56 AM
I would and do buy loads of books by authors I've read and enjoyed before I take a chance on an author I've never heard of.
Therefore it would be good that names people see, are not merely talk about bands who everybody already knows, but people actually recommending the good new stuff worth to check out. That's how "underground" generally used to work. Some people may check out stuff totally without outer influence, but generally word travels in network and you check out interesting stuff you heard being good.
Perhaps it would be interesting topic of discussion: What bands to you appears like they're getting
better and better?! I could easily drop handful of names who in my humble subjective opinion are getting better and better all the time. Also some artists who are getting more diverse, making hard to really compare with past achievements beyond acknowledging they go into new directions and succeed in that and makes me wait where they go next. I'm sure most of these guys mentioned on message above, can be given credit for doing to something new and not just do the same. But it hardly matters if new stuff doesn't do anything to you and you're quite confident that this is just about last thing you're going to bother to check out.
CE did a gig only 7" a couple of months back and there's one on Discogs now for £100 so we've posted up a video so the track can be freely available to all. Incidentally, it's probably that expensive due to Sleaford Mods - not us!
I've read many of the comments here with interest, you may not believe it, but we certainly do not do this for the money. For each and every release the professional recording, mastering and production costs vastly outweigh any monies recouped.
Sorry if anyone feels cheated or ripped off. You don't actually have to buy these things. I, however, do have to keep making them. And paying for them.
And for anyone who thinks my wife's involvement in the band is some kind of opportunistic bolt-on, after hearing this maybe a few might think again. Or maybe not, it's a free world ...
Thanks for your support
& Enjoy! Philip Best http://youtu.be/QB0TLkH5oCY
Quote from: Johnny James on December 17, 2014, 05:04:08 PM
For each and every release the professional recording, mastering and production costs vastly outweigh any monies recouped.
Sorry if anyone feels cheated or ripped off. You don't actually have to buy these things. I, however, do have to keep making them. And paying for them.
It seems to me that you could save yourself, and your punters, a great deal of money if you didn't make your last release so ridiculous, format-wise. It's not a free world, it's an expensive one.
Would a simple one-cd or even one vinyl release really have made your music any less listenable?
Dare I even suggest - as a download?
Quote from: Leewar on December 01, 2014, 12:46:53 PM
I love how after all these years, and the fact it now seems cool to slag off anything and everything that Bennett/Sotos/Best do after whitehouse, that they can still have such a impact.
Does "have such an impact" = create conversation? If so, that only makes sense, and it is nothing new. When members of classic bands are all off doing their own personal projects, they sort of slip into a place where few people pay attention. They can play tiny clubs. They gain back some of their anonymity. But when they all gather again under their known monikers, people who otherwise don't give a shit come out in normal support. They get 12 people to show up at one of their new alias gigs, but under the big name, they can pack a midsized venue.
So when 1000 people are paying attention to your known groups, you get a decent number of people talking about it, distilling it, etc. If 10 people are paying attention to your group, one person might want to talk about it. There's no conversation there. As for it being in-style to rip on certain, old bands, there's probably some truth to that, but if a culture can deem them greats, that same culture can certainly also deem them has-beens and past their peak (or stuck in a low). I don't think it is so easily marked as just cool, because there is probably a good deal of truth to the criticism, too. And by truth, I'm talking about what comes from consensus opinion. The converse of all this, of course, are the folks who think everything an artist does is interesting and/or good. I never trust those people. They're too forgiving for me.
Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on December 18, 2014, 03:06:48 AM
Dare I even suggest - as a download?
Just saw it's on itunes now for a much more reasonable price which is nice. Not sure what the booklet that comes with it contains, artwork I guess, is there a lot of artwork that comes with the full release? I do really like the front cover artwork for this.
Ah, now, that shuts me up somewhat. Still think the physical release is silly but at least there are options for people who want to listen to this.
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw it, wasn't expecting a digital version at all.
Just saw this:
http://www.discogs.com/Consumer-Electronics-Estuary-English-/release/6270496
Some thought to add to the mix on Estuary 'fucking' English: https://noisereceptor.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/consumer-electronics-estuary-english/
CE turned shit when Best took that daughter of his to the band and stage. Art school hipster chick fooling around on stage isn't my idea of power electronics. Lame.
Quote from: re:evolution on February 04, 2015, 05:22:22 AM
Some thought to add to the mix on Estuary 'fucking' English: https://noisereceptor.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/consumer-electronics-estuary-english/
Good to see recognition of how important and information-packed the words are on a very literate LP. They are still reverberating and slowly building in weight around my brain. So nice to see true hatred of capitalism and wish for a better world expressed in a new way not linked to the limitations of the traditional left. This is music that does hope for social, political, sexual, personal change and possibilities of liberation and transformation. I do think of 325 and the Cells Of Fire when I turn this up. The vinyl sounds very different to the digital master. It sure ain't a perfect record but it's pretty great.
I don't think Consumer Electronics have anything to do with power electronics whatever that is - as meaningless as defining punk nowadays, ask Mike Dando what he thinks too - it was an offhand term on a press release for WH 'Psychopathia Sexualis' 33 years ago.
That art school hipster chick Sarah Froelich is a great and striking frontwoman and vocalist.
Quote from: Vigilante Ecstasy on February 04, 2015, 01:34:55 PM
CE turned shit when Best took that daughter of his to the band and stage. Art school hipster chick fooling around on stage isn't my idea of power electronics. Lame.
This makes me like them even more.
Don't put your daughter on the sausage stage Mrs Worthington.
Well - if 'Estuary English' did not already raise the hackles, this most certainly will. A new Consumer Electronics 12" 'REPETITION REINFORCEMENT' out next week – on a 'techno' label no less.
The Side A track featured in full here: https://soundcloud.com/diagonal-records/diag019-consumer-electronics-murder-the-masters
Not power electronics by any stretch, more like 'spoken word' electronic ambient, noting the 'beat' with its unchanging structure can hardly be considered 'techno'. Without being over the top, the vocals are creepily invasive – meaning they have impact despite the lack of aggression.
I will say that I do like this – but anyone wanting 'CE power electronics' will no doubt HATE this with a passion.
There is some similarity to SJ's Blue Rabbit - if you consider vocal style. Also cleaner sound CE has now, fits this type of stuff much better than attempts to be noisy. Basically same as Blue Rabbit was. Creepy and eerie stuff, way ahead attempts to be noisy. Of course SJ's organic & acoustic sound appeals to me more than drones and beats, but I'd say this CE work sounds better than Estuary English!
I listened to one track and I was ruined. It sounds like poor broadcast... BEST's theatrical mannerism of vocal irritates me very much.. Fuck it!!
Totally got Blue Rabbit vibes regarding Best's whispered vocals.
I like this track. Interested to hear what the rest of the ep will sound like. Hopefully there will be no re-done tracks.
Quote from: ImpulsyStetoskopu on February 26, 2015, 09:23:44 AM
I listened to one track and I was ruined. It sounds like poor broadcast... BEST's theatrical mannerism of vocal irritates me very much.. Fuck it!!
Didn't have the time to listen to this yet. I recall reading an interview with Bennett, in which he told that they actually rehearse the vocal parts of Whitehouse, putting thought and effort into the actual stylizations of certain parts etc. Maybe it was exaggerated to an extent, but the previous records certainly sound very "rehearsed" as well. A very amusing thought, heh. Neighbours listening to someone shouting obscenities ad infinitum, trying to get the falsetto right... Whether or not the case, I think it's an interesting idea. That instead of just screaming one's lungs out, one actually plans outs the subtle intonations of certain phrases to maximize the impact. Probably a rare thing generally?
http://dollhousesongs.blogspot.co.uk/ for anyone interested in the lyrics.
Quote from: Salamanauhat on February 26, 2015, 12:31:43 PM
That instead of just screaming one's lungs out, one actually plans outs the subtle intonations of certain phrases to maximize the impact. Probably a rare thing generally?
All depends on quality and right proportions. CE has perturbed these proportions and quality of music was lowered. I trust this act will come back on right way...
For what it's worth I liked it, not PE in any sense but pretty decent in an unsettling kind of way.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on November 28, 2014, 01:09:48 PM
...what I'd complain is just that sounds are almost exclusively pretty crap... ...almost like 8bit nintendo electronics?!
My description was
Casio-naff.
I think some here have gotten a little carried away. I've immersed myself in techno for the past two decades, and I'm struggling to see the comparison. No self-respecting producer of beat-orientated music would willingly use sounds this chronic: techno/electronica-types take their business every bit as seriously as PE/industrial-types. Once I'd cottoned-on that music like this is purposely built to irritate people like me (and it
was successful) I became much more comfortable w/ it as a whole - and could actually begin enjoying it for what it was, which is a very well put together record.
Russell "I played Berghain using two copies of winamp" Haswell has been quite busy of late, I'd recommend the Remixed EP on Downwards (a techno/industrial label) featuring remixes of his work by Regis (a UK techno-type), Bennett and Drumm. The Bennett effort is particularly worthy, I think.
By the way, if Consumer Electronics are looking to
really take it to the next level, I may be of assistance. My 5 year old (by no means a prodigy) has nevertheless exhausted the sonic possibilities of her first synth and is due a well-deserved upgrade. W/ her blessing - I'd be happy to send this along gratis. And yes, batteries are included.
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah14/ONE_TWO_ONE/IMG_3945_zps9u6o2w5w.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/ONE_TWO_ONE/media/IMG_3945_zps9u6o2w5w.jpg.html)
You want Casio-naff? Can do <3
Now theres a synth I would gladly circuit bend!
Quote from: Vigilante Ecstasy on February 04, 2015, 01:34:55 PM
CE turned shit when Best took that daughter of his to the band and stage. Art school hipster chick fooling around on stage isn't my idea of power electronics. Lame.
Hehe, that's the point, don't see you
see? She's succeeded.
Quote from: Scat-O-Logy on May 05, 2015, 03:51:06 AM
Quote from: coughinghorse on May 05, 2015, 01:04:11 AM
Quote from: Vigilante Ecstasy on February 04, 2015, 01:34:55 PM
CE turned shit when Best took that daughter of his to the band and stage. Art school hipster chick fooling around on stage isn't my idea of power electronics. Lame.
Hehe, that's the point, don't see you see? She's succeeded.
A friend of mine pointed out that "she looks like new CE sounds" and that's pretty spot on.
Oh, stop. Weak argument.
Really, what about her involvement in the band makes the material weak? Nice and clearly, state it. Because: 1) "Art school hipster chick fooling around on stage isn't my idea of power electronics. Lame." strikes me as impotent cock bro argument with nothing to say regarding the actual content of the music itself. I have little tolerance for people pulling the "way she looks" argument for women involved in noise and industrial because more than half of us dudes involved in this shit look fucking stupid as we hunch over our tables and feign a forceful face despite the music being fucking top-notch. She's got glasses, get over it. It's nothing new. I'm concerned with sound, good sound, fucking provocative sound. As long as people are dropping her looks on stage as a negative argument about the project largely detached from the sound itself, she's winning with a leather whip in hand lashing the fools with impotent dismissals. hehe. 2) I refer back to "isn't my idea of power electronics." NO SHIT, DUDE. Of course, it's not power electronics. You can't judge stuff that is at this point clearly not power electronics
as power electronics. Try, try again.
Personally, I find it a good listen - the newest album that is. Best's lyrics and delivery on "Murder the Masters" are solid and the sounds aren't all that shabby. However, if I wanted more industrial dance music, I'd personally pick something more intense and harsh hehe.
Quote from: coughinghorse on May 05, 2015, 05:53:39 AM
Really, what about her involvement in the band makes the material weak? Nice and clearly, state it. Because: 1) "Art school hipster chick fooling around on stage isn't my idea of power electronics. Lame." strikes me as impotent cock bro argument with nothing to say regarding the actual content of the music itself. I have little tolerance for people pulling the "way she looks" argument for women involved in noise and industrial because more than half of us dudes involved in this shit look fucking stupid as we hunch over our tables and feign a forceful face despite the music being fucking top-notch. She's got glasses, get over it. It's nothing new. I'm concerned with sound, good sound, fucking provocative sound.
To me power electronics isn't just sounds. One of the reasons I like pe so much is that it pleases me as a misogynistic asshole that I am. There are other reasons of course, for example just the pure sonic bliss of ear raping sounds. But what adds more power to the sound is the unapologetic way of dealing with prurient topics as sex, violence and power. It has to be done in this way, otherwise the pure power just isn't there.
I'm not interested in seeing Peter Best cuddling and giggling on stage with his child-wife, it's just lame and awkward as fuck. It takes away the power that, at least for me, was there before. Watching CE perform feels like I'm watching some silly fucking bachelor party. But that doesn't really bother me too much, I deal with CE as with other bands that have gone shit by just ignoring them.
(http://cdn.discogs.com/9werQWyg4u-_rEgF1jEb10AYtxg=/504x335/smart/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/A-58561-1342262211-2784.jpeg.jpg)
"Is it too loud for you, honeybunny? We can choose some softer sounds you can dance to."
Quote from: coughinghorse on May 05, 2015, 05:53:39 AMAs long as people are dropping her looks on stage as a negative argument about the project largely detached from the sound itself, she's winning with a leather whip in hand lashing the fools with impotent dismissals.
Typical run-of-the-mill example of White Knight Syndrome.
Quote from: Vigilante Ecstasy on May 05, 2015, 09:26:58 AMIt has to be done in this way
There are rules? Shit, i didnt get the memo, can somebody forward it to me please?
Quote from: Vigilante Ecstasy on May 05, 2015, 09:26:58 AM
Typical run-of-the-mill example of White Knight Syndrome.
Typical run-of-the-mill example of some reddit kid who got into a music genre he doesn't even understand because he wrongly assumes it's all by and for " misogynistic assholes" like himself
PE has always been, for better or worse and sometimes knowingly and sometimes not,
much awkward more than powerful anyway, don't take the name too literally :D
QuoteThere are rules? Shit, i didnt get the memo, can somebody forward it to me please?
1. Take at literal face value a genre consisting almost entirely of provocation, metaphor, sarcasm, appropriation and criticism.
2. Only slavishly copy the sounds that some guys happened to do decades ago because that was all they could afford and/or they didn't know what they were doing, slate the same guys who invented the whole thing for actually doing anything new.
3. Echo on mic
4. Don't bother putting 10 seconds of black at the beginning and end of your visuals, it's totally kvlt to see the OS X desktop pop up at the end of your google image search + windows moviemaker war atrocities video, and in no way takes away from the seriousness of it all
5. No girls allowed in the treehouse
Quote from: Leewar on May 05, 2015, 12:41:26 PM
Quote from: Vigilante Ecstasy on May 05, 2015, 09:26:58 AMIt has to be done in this way
There are rules? Shit, i didnt get the memo, can somebody forward it to me please?
There are no rules, I described the way I want to have my dose of violent power electronics. To each his own.
Quote from: Cementimental on May 05, 2015, 12:49:51 PM
Quote from: Vigilante Ecstasy on May 05, 2015, 09:26:58 AM
Typical run-of-the-mill example of White Knight Syndrome.
Typical run-of-the-mill example of some reddit kid who got into a music genre he doesn't even understand
I'm 32 years old. Introduced to noise, pe and other avantgarde shit in 1996. It took however many years to really get accustomed to the extreme sounds and form a deeper interest in the subject, making my first own recordings as late as 2002. What the fuck is reddit?
Quote from: Cementimental on May 05, 2015, 12:49:51 PM
because he wrongly assumes it's all by and for "misogynistic assholes" like himself
Where and how did I made this assumption? I don't find it.
Quote from: coughinghorse on May 05, 2015, 05:53:39 AM
Quote from: Scat-O-Logy on May 05, 2015, 03:51:06 AM
A friend of mine pointed out that "she looks like new CE sounds" and that's pretty spot on.
Oh, stop. Weak argument.
Didn't look like an argument to me, more like someone just taking the piss. You sure you want to take other peoples' dislikes that seriously?
Quote from: Cementimental on May 05, 2015, 12:49:51 PMPE has always been, for better or worse and sometimes knowingly and sometimes not, much awkward more than powerful anyway, don't take the name too literally :D
An excerpt from the chapter "How Many Times Do I Have To Tell You Neanderthals?!" from Tim's forthcoming book "Power Electronics: No One Gets It But Me".
Who'd have thought Consumer Electronics would some day be defended by pro feminist fellas? How the world turns, eh?
strange and nuanced world we live in :)
Quote from: Vigilante Ecstasy on May 05, 2015, 09:26:58 AM
Quote from: coughinghorse on May 05, 2015, 05:53:39 AM
Really, what about her involvement in the band makes the material weak? Nice and clearly, state it. Because: 1) "Art school hipster chick fooling around on stage isn't my idea of power electronics. Lame." strikes me as impotent cock bro argument with nothing to say regarding the actual content of the music itself. I have little tolerance for people pulling the "way she looks" argument for women involved in noise and industrial because more than half of us dudes involved in this shit look fucking stupid as we hunch over our tables and feign a forceful face despite the music being fucking top-notch. She's got glasses, get over it. It's nothing new. I'm concerned with sound, good sound, fucking provocative sound.
To me power electronics isn't just sounds. One of the reasons I like pe so much is that it pleases me as a misogynistic asshole that I am. There are other reasons of course, for example just the pure sonic bliss of ear raping sounds. But what adds more power to the sound is the unapologetic way of dealing with prurient topics as sex, violence and power. It has to be done in this way, otherwise the pure power just isn't there.
I'm not interested in seeing Peter Best cuddling and giggling on stage with his child-wive, it's just lame and awkward as fuck. It takes away the power that, at least for me, was there before. Watching CE perform feels like I'm watching some silly fucking bachelor party. But that doesn't really bother me too much, I deal with CE as with other bands that have gone shit by just ignoring them.
(http://cdn.discogs.com/9werQWyg4u-_rEgF1jEb10AYtxg=/504x335/smart/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/A-58561-1342262211-2784.jpeg.jpg)
"Is it too loud for you, honeybunny? We can choose some softer sounds you can dance to."
Quote from: coughinghorse on May 05, 2015, 05:53:39 AMAs long as people are dropping her looks on stage as a negative argument about the project largely detached from the sound itself, she's winning with a leather whip in hand lashing the fools with impotent dismissals.
Typical run-of-the-mill example of White Knight Syndrome.
It just sounds like you're angry there's a girl in the band and the "I'm angry women hating prick so PE needs to be done my way or the highway" is just a posture and cover phrase for not actually knowing what about CE makes you angry just in terms of the musical content itself( themes included).
So I stand by opinion, the new CE is dashingly provocative in its own right.
Quote from: Cementimental on May 05, 2015, 12:49:51 PM
1. Take at literal face value a genre consisting almost entirely of provocation, metaphor, sarcasm, appropriation and criticism.
1. Take at literal face value random comments and points on forum posts.
Quote from: Cementimental on May 05, 2015, 12:49:51 PM
2. Only slavishly copy the sounds that some guys happened to do decades ago because that was all they could afford and/or they didn't know what they were doing, slate the same guys who invented the whole thing for actually doing anything new.
2. Only slavishly copy the knee-jerk reactions of every lame White Knight on internet.
Quote from: Cementimental on May 05, 2015, 12:49:51 PM
3. Echo on mic
3. Get butthurt about different opinions.
Quote from: Cementimental on May 05, 2015, 12:49:51 PM
4. Don't bother putting 10 seconds of black at the beginning and end of your visuals, it's totally kvlt to see the OS X desktop pop up at the end of your google image search + windows moviemaker war atrocities video, and in no way takes away from the seriousness of it all
4. Don't bother putting 10 seconds of any rational thought before you post.
Quote from: Cementimental on May 05, 2015, 12:49:51 PM
5. No girls allowed in the treehouse
I approve this message. Now go cry to Reddit.
also the 'hilarious' caption is dumb by any standard. Even if you're the sort of person for whom "Is it too loud for you, honeybunny? We can choose some softer sounds you can dance to." is in any way amusing because LOL WOMEN, it falls totally flat in this case since this is a photo of a specific woman who is actually performing this music, and often at higher volumes than most of us usually get to play live :)
QuoteWhat the fuck is reddit?
it's the place where teenage boys cook up childish internet jargon catchphrases like "White Knighting" which eventually filter down to PE fans apparently. You'd fit right in there, get your misogyny fresh from the source. :D
Post above by Cementimental strikes me as exactly right. If two people fooling around on stage to sleazy techno informed strongly by industrial music makes you feel akward, maybe industrial as an entire genre (Bizzare Uproar to SPK to Puce Mary to Whitehouse) is too much for you. Just sayin'
Quote from: coughinghorse on May 05, 2015, 01:37:12 PM
sleazy techno
Agreed! This could be close to Sleazy's idea of techno.
nobodys ugly been on repeat for past few years
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS live
08/21 AUSTIN Elysium
08/27 DALLAS Crown & Harp
08/28 SAN ANTONIO Phantom Room
09/26 CHICAGO Rectum + Pharmakon
New Album: Dollhouse Songs coming soon
Quote from: Johnny James on July 26, 2015, 02:43:03 PM
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS live
08/21 AUSTIN Elysium
08/27 DALLAS Crown & Harp
08/28 SAN ANTONIO Phantom Room
09/26 CHICAGO Rectum + Pharmakon
New Album: Dollhouse Songs coming soon
Please don't skip NYC!
Hopefully play New York and other North American cities in due course. We're here for good now. PB
Consumer Electronics booking enquiries: babysgang@hotmail.com
love Estuary english, better than any whitehouse(maybe not thank your lucky) or anything i thinkk, one of my favorite power electronic albums, can t fuckin beat the lyrics
the early shortwave shit cool too
Quote from: sick on August 10, 2015, 05:32:07 AM
one of my favorite power electronic albums,
Estuary English is power electronics??
A glittering career in taxonomy awaits.
Quote from: Dr Alex on August 10, 2015, 10:52:34 AM
Quote from: sick on August 10, 2015, 05:32:07 AM
one of my favorite power electronic albums,
Estuary English is power electronics??
im not very in touch with these small kinda genres, but
i thought its pretty straight forward pe,lots of power electronics like NTT i thought sound more like industrial but still its called power elektronix, what would you call it?
i mean its not uncommon for pE to have a beat. lots more structuree then i guess the f&v style power electronic still i d say its PE. theme/lyric-wise its textbook pe but done out standing. good,hateful shit man
Noticed on the Consumer Electronics FB that the new album is available for preorder from Harbinger Sound (http://harbingersound.bigcartel.com/product/consumer-electronics-dollhouse-songs-lp).
They also posted a teaser track/video. Surprised by the lack of vocals on that one, beyond the sounds at the end... Sounds good though!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVs3Of2ITWM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVs3Of2ITWM)
Quote from: davenpdx on November 01, 2015, 06:54:59 AM
Noticed on the Consumer Electronics FB that the new album is available for preorder from Harbinger Sound (http://harbingersound.bigcartel.com/product/consumer-electronics-dollhouse-songs-lp).
They also posted a teaser track/video. Surprised by the lack of vocals on that one, beyond the sounds at the end... Sounds good though!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVs3Of2ITWM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVs3Of2ITWM)
That track sounds good, absolutely love the cover art.
I've been lucky enough to hear Dollhouse Songs in full. There isn't anything as overly beat-driven as Co-Opted by Cunts on there but there are non-linear percussive sounds on most of the tracks. Very high production standards, a lush palette of electronics.
Slightly fewer screaming vocals this time and more spoken sequences, delivered with great timing. Throat nodules Philip? Me too. Sarah takes two vocal leads surrounding this centrepiece instrumental Nothing Natural. If you ever liked Rosemary Malign's yelling (and I did) you'll love this stuff.
Extremely strong and powerful lyrics throughout and the final track Colour Climax is especially devastating, with a nod to an old Whitehouse lyric on there - almost unbelievably however the album ends on a note of hope, and the relief is palpable after the hellish trip this record takes you through.
Better than Estuary English, and this one gets a distribution deal via Cargo for every high street outlet too - don't fancy their chances of becoming the next Sleaford Mods though - this is a noise album, and it's as difficult and uncommercial as any self-conscious 'extremist' could hope for.
"I hate men and their violence and their weak murderous minds"
Listening "Teknon" from "Estuary English". Vocals are SO GREAT, it's pity that 'music' sucks!
Quote from: Dr Alex on November 04, 2015, 08:16:08 PM
Listening "Teknon" from "Estuary English". Vocals are SO GREAT, it's pity that 'music' sucks!
Pretty nutty track on the so-called music side huh, maybe some kind of secretive conceptual thing was going on there? Beats me. Nothing like that on the new one.
Favourite from Dollhouse Songs right now is the unbelievably great and fantastic 'Condition Of A Hole'.
I'm excited for the new album, I've been playing Repetition Reinforcement on repeat the last couple weeks, along with that split with Sleaford Mods
Taking things out of their intended context for my own banal amusement is for me (after viewing pornography) the greatest joy of laptop ownership. Air Lock has turned out to be my most oft-visitted piece from Estuary English.
I like to loop it up in Ableton w/ a host of lowest common denominator phat house beats, Detroit chords and crisp percussion to give what I think is the definition of 2015 Consumer Electronics. Grotesque - yet at the same time, oddly alluring - which wouldn't be too out of place in many a Western European hipster club.
Repetition Reinforcement is superb, especially Murder The Masters; though I do find myself reaching for the tabletop to support myself after the first four minutes or so (I must be getting soft: 7 & 1/2 minute dressing downs get harder by the day).
I predict CE will play Berghain before too long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK6Vx5Zy-QA
I really and I mean really like this one.
Philip('s vocals at his) Best.
'Dollhouse Songs' - Live In New York - December 7 2015
https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1003969?utm_medium=bks
Quote from: Dr Alex on November 04, 2015, 08:16:08 PM
Listening "Teknon" from "Estuary English". Vocals are SO GREAT, it's pity that 'music' sucks!
My favorite tracks are 'Affirmation' and 'Estuary English'. How do you feel about those?
Least favorite is 'Co-Opted'.
New LP on HARBINGER SOUND is now available : http://harbingersound.bigcartel.com/product/consumer-electronics-dollhouse-songs-lp
4 CE LIVE SESSION TRACKS & INTERVIEW https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/64107
Quote from: Johnny James on December 16, 2015, 01:16:33 AM
4 CE LIVE SESSION TRACKS & INTERVIEW https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/64107
Nice bit of intrigue and mystery created over the studio owner's identity during the interview. Hoping to see her cast away down the front covered in beer and sweat screaming bad swearwords sometime.
CE upcoming CONFIRMED SHOWS
DENTON Rubber Gloves 6 February 2016
HOUSTON Notsuoh 13 February 2016
LONDON 93 Feet East 25 February 2016
BRIGHTON Sticky Mike's 26 February 2016
PARIS Instants Chavirés 27 February 2016
DUISBURG Djäzz Jazzkeller 29 February 2016
OSLO BLÅ 12 March 2016
VIENNA Rhiz 22 March 2016
BERLIN Urban Spree 24 March 2016
HAMBURG Golden Pudel 25 March 2016
NOTTINGHAM Chameleon 26 March 2016
BRISTOL Exchange 1 April 2016
MONTREAL Bar Le Ritz 6 May 2016
More to be added
Consumer Electronics - Touring - 2016
06/2 - Denton TX, Rubber Gloves
13/2 - Houston TX, Notsuoh
25/2 - London, 93 Feet East.+
26/2 - Brighton, Sticky Mike's.+
27/2 - Paris, Instants Chavires.+
29/2 - Duisburg, Djazz Jazzkeller.+
01/3 - Antwerp, Het Bos.+
02/3 - Amsterdam, OCCII. +
11/3 - Copenhagen, Mayhem.
12/3 - Oslo, Bla.
15/3 - Madrid,Sala Sirco.
16/3 - Oviedo, Lata de Zinc.
17/3 - Bilbao,Huracan.
18/3 - Barcelona, Hangar.
19/3 - Lyon, TBA.
20/3 - Geneva, TBA.
22/3 - Vienna, Rhiz.
23/3 - Prague, Punctum.
24/3 - Berlin, Urban Spree +
25/3 - Hamburg, Golden Pudel.
26/3 - Nottingham, The Chameleon. +
27/3 - Preston, Mad Ferret. +
28/3 - Glasgow, Old Hairdressers. +
29/3 - Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete's. +
01/4 - Bristol, The Exchange.+
03/4 - Cambridge, Portland Arms.+
04/4 - Leeds. TBA.
05/4 - Colchester, Arts Centre. +
13/4 - Reykjavik, Hurra. +
06/5 - Montreal, Le Bar Ritz
New Album "Dollhouse Songs" (Harbinger Sound).
Support on dates marked ' + ' will be Circuit Breaker who will promoting their "My Descent Into Capital" LP / CD on Harbinger Sound.
More dates to be announced and more dates required.
Get in touch. We'll be touring US & Europe for remainder of 2016.
A few shots from the recent Hamburg, Molotov show
(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e67/houdini2/IMG_6763_zps5ljroin7.jpg)
(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e67/houdini2/IMG_6777_zpsldc8wijw.jpg)
(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e67/houdini2/IMG_6780_zps3fkqvcvy.jpg)
(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e67/houdini2/IMG_6765_zps6kylftqu.jpg)
Great show, throughly enjoyed myself. Best part for me was sending a pic of Russell Haswell to a friend in Poland shortly after proceedings in the club closed - to which I got the reply: "Haswell is one creepy fucker!" ;-)
"next generation of thrill seekers"
"old and young, male and female"
"this isn't Industrial or Power Electronics"
"Let's get fucked up"
http://idwalfisher.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/consumer-electronics-wharf-chambers.html
I fucking loved the CE set in Chicago. So much fun. Sarah is fucking tough as nails as a vocalist. Total control. Loved it.
CE touring UK / Europe again in November 2016.
Any interested promoters are encouraged to get in touch:
https://twitter.com/colourclimax/status/722828442907967489 (https://twitter.com/colourclimax/status/722828442907967489)
of prurient interest and irrelevant, but I remember seeing Mr best fingering a Japanese groupie at the back of the bins post a show in London (pre Sarah frolic days), both seemed to be having fun
Got my ticket for Montreal. No particular expectations of what it'll be like, as the last CE record I've heard in full is Crowd Pleaser...
To all the cats posts about how CE are WEAK are actually really weak. This shit is FUCKING TOUGH
Has anyone considered rereleasing the tapes from the 80s on CD? Was thinking about the RRR LPs and it got me thinking, particularly since so many other releases have been reissued in recent years, even if just for historical documentation.
There was going to be a V.O.D. set or similar.
Quote from: theotherjohn on April 30, 2017, 06:38:15 PM
Quote from: eraciator on April 30, 2017, 02:36:18 PM
There was going to be a V.O.D. set or similar.
I heard the same, but Philip's said in recent interviews that archiving his early recordings/output was never a high priority, so it probably came to nothing. I wonder if either Phil or Ron Lessard still has the DAT tapes used for the RRR 3LP set (or if they're still playable)? I suspect that he considers that early material juvenalia to a degree.
There must still be copies of his zine Intolerance out there too, although I've still yet to see what they actually looked like. I remember years ago Trevor Brown had some issues for sale (among many other early Industrial rarities - I wish I still had a copy of that list he made!) but I never followed up on buying them - they're either in a collector's hands or in a landfill now...
i believe i have one or the intolerance mags.
juvenilia, sort of sums it (and other from this time) up
by which i mean the internet has long made articles in these mags irrelevant, and they are now of fetishistic value, not informational.
Speaking of old Iphar juvenalia, can anyone enlighten me on the cassettes "Enforced Sex" and "Mother Bitch" by Psychout? Pretty curious about those...
Quote from: david lloyd jones on April 30, 2017, 06:45:09 PM
Quote from: theotherjohn on April 30, 2017, 06:38:15 PM
Quote from: eraciator on April 30, 2017, 02:36:18 PM
There was going to be a V.O.D. set or similar.
I heard the same, but Philip's said in recent interviews that archiving his early recordings/output was never a high priority, so it probably came to nothing. I wonder if either Phil or Ron Lessard still has the DAT tapes used for the RRR 3LP set (or if they're still playable)? I suspect that he considers that early material juvenalia to a degree.
To elaborate on the above, Phillip posted a link to a radio station interview some time back (...I can't seem to locate it), but in that interview he talked about potentially re-issuing his early stuff, but if that was to happen he would want to do it properly, including proper studio re-mastering etc, and given that extent of time that would take, his preference was to focus on new material.
Does anyone here have Iphar or Come Org original cassettes? Or detailed knowledge about them?
From what's on discogs it seem like all Iphar were on old TDK tapes? And Come Org on Sony CHF tapes? That is also what i've found when looking around. But it's difficult to find much on the Iphar releases.
There's a seller on discogs who's selling a bunch of old Iphar and Come Org and Broken Flag. Earlier this year i was interested in two tapes and was able to get photos of them. Judging by the j-card both looked highly suspicious. Furthermore the Iphar tape was a BASF SM90, Come Org a Sony AHF and not CHF. Handwriting on the Come Org tape seemed similar to originals i've seen but it was not the same handwriting (100% sure). Seller is in eastern europe and claimed to have scored both at a garage sale in the UK. I assume he found all at that very same garage sale, which sounds abit to good to be true to my ears but ofcourse it's not completely impossible. But all info i could gather from the seller had me far from convinced.
Quote from: accidental on August 09, 2017, 11:15:26 AM
There's a seller on discogs who's selling a bunch of old Iphar and Come Org and Broken Flag.
This guy is a well known ripoff, do not buy any of his shit. I bought some Jonathan Briley tapes off him few months back (before he changed his username cause people were on to him) and they were both boots. I have been in contact with several other serious collectors and same thing happened with them. Broken Flag,Etat Brut, Coup De Grace tapes he was selling were all copies.
Psychout was Pierpaolo Zoppo. The new CE single is a 7" on Harbinger Sound: "The Weight / Hostility Blues". All mixed and scheduled for next tranche of HS releases. Dirter are preparing a 2CD "Estuary English" collecting the "Repetition Reinforcement" EP tracks and both the 100 Club shows, mixed and recorded by Graham Sutton.
If anyone's interested I'm launching a low key publishing company "Amphetamine Sulphate". Chapbooks by Simon Morris, Samantha Davies & Matthew Bower, Alex Binnie, Gabi Losoncy & others in due course! Launching September 2017. PB.
I assume it's just a British spelling of the word. Ex: labor or labour...i personally think it looks nicer than sulfate does in written American English.
PRE-ORDERS now being accepted for books by Philip Best (Whitehouse/CE) , Jason Williamson (Sleaford Mods), Simon Morris (Ceramic Hobs), Matthew Bower (Skullflower) and Gabi Losoncy (herself) SHIPPING OCT. 2ND Cheers! www.amphetaminesulphate.com
The Weight 7" from Harbinger comes packaged in luxurious mini LP style sleeve, with weird miniature spine writing and proper inner sleeve. Kind of breathtaking to behold.
Almost all the vocals on this thing from Sarah Froelich and on the B Side which has extremely unpleasant lyrics 'Hostiilty Blues' you can literally hear her throat ripping apart from all the yelling- I dunno, does that sell it to you kinda guys? A-side is a kind of reading of the famous track by The Band with a bunch of unsolved murder cases thrown in.
Have heard a rough mix of the forthcoming album Airless Space and found it very playful and funny. SF again on majority of vocals and a lot of the lyrics too. None of this material is exactly packed with commercial potential amd is as harsh and difficult as anyone could wish for.
MOR revisionism :-)
Anyone already heard Airless Space?
Quote from: cr on July 13, 2019, 12:19:42 PM
Anyone already heard Airless Space?
It's good. 'Carnage Mechanics' is a top track.
"Carnage Mechanics" is a great title! Not too long ago, I listened to samples of each track. I like the minimal electronics & vocals but I can't get past the beats. Just absolutely hate them.
Quote from: cr on July 13, 2019, 12:19:42 PM
Anyone already heard Airless Space?
Only the CD version, but I don't see how the vinyl would make me love it less, haha. It's fantastic in my opinion, if you liked Dollhouse Songs and Estuary English you'll love it.
Estuary < Airless < Dollhouse, if you want my opinion.
I'm getting more and more into the more quiet CE tracks where Philip Best speaks. Fucking great lyrics, too. No hate on Sara's vocals or anything, but the version of Murder the (/Your) Masters with Best's vocals might be one of my favorite CE tracks period.
Of course, with all of that said, Crowd Pleaser remains my favorite record start to finish.
Any thoughts about new Consumer Electronics - Surge CD?
Had high hopes, but well, I don't know...maybe it's just not for my tastes and what I like.
I listened to it a couple of times but was underwhelmed apart from the longer track at the end. Can't really bring myself to be bothered to give it another listen
I know "computer noise" is pretty lazy description, since it could mean almost anything... but when you hear the overall sound, and there is this (probably very intentional) sterility and clarity in production and sounds of many of the tracks. It is not easy to like. It is like half way through the album, when Dirt and Dust starts, when album makers turn to better.After that Side Blaster gets a bit darker in production. Little dance music on the way, but ending with noisier and darker title track is pretty neat! While I was thinking label info saying
this should be considered the definitive CE album, I was a bit skeptic, but really it could be the best CE after all? Of course, one simply can't compare it to 80's CE, so I am talking of later albums. However, I must say that I don't have Airless Space, but songs that I know from album are so much more beat oriented and with softer sounds new album certainly feels better. I don't have physical version of it yet, though.
QuoteConsumer Electronics return with "Surge" — a brand new album containing 7 tracks and with a run-time of 42 minutes. The duo of Philip Best and album producer Russell Haswell deliver a hallucinatory vision of the world — as it appears in 2024 e.v. Noticeably noisier and more aggressive than previous releases, CE dive even further into the chaos of sonic manipulation and mind-bending frequencies. Best's lyrics are among his most demented yet, written in the shadow of intimate distress, global conflict, and resigned disintegration. For his part, Haswell conjures crunching landscapes of sound and fiery rhythmic propulsions. The pair use state of the art technology allied with cracked and fractured primitive electronics. Exquisitely crafted to give the listener a disquieting look into the abyss. "I want to tell you / in this music / you hear / the sound / of plane after plane / taking off / amphetamine surge / Mahler's pain / Wagner's decline / what good are expectations? / what good are explanations? / get up / get up / children / it's time." Featuring a guest appearance by long time cohort Gary Mundy of RAMLEH, this should be considered the definitive CE album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUbT2dureeI
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 01, 2024, 10:54:48 AMI know "computer noise" is pretty lazy description, since it could mean almost anything... but when you hear the overall sound, and there is this (probably very intentional) sterility and clarity in production and sounds of many of the tracks. It is not easy to like. It is like half way through the album, when Dirt and Dust starts, when album makers turn to better.After that Side Blaster gets a bit darker in production. Little dance music on the way, but ending with noisier and darker title track is pretty neat! While I was thinking label info saying this should be considered the definitive CE album, I was a bit skeptic, but really it could be the best CE after all? Of course, one simply can't compare it to 80's CE, so I am talking of later albums. However, I must say that I don't have Airless Space, but songs that I know from album are so much more beat oriented and with softer sounds new album certainly feels better. I don't have physical version of it yet, though
It's certainly their strongest release since Sarah became a "key" member:
Estuary English was patchy yet enjoyable enough overall, but the two albums preceding this did next to nothing for me. I'm a staunch enjoyer of Best's lyricism and delivery, so I suppose that will always be an attractive staple in their work, irrespective of the music. Interestingly, Sarah seems entirely absent on this release...
It's certainly something of a return to form, but for me,
Crowd Pleaser will always be the "definitive" CE release, and certainly their most focused and cohesive.
Still have to listen to his new release, goddamnit. Anyway, speaking of modern CE, I think Estuary English would be the closest to its music manifesting the core of the music therein, specially because of its more minimalistic approach, in comparison to later releases. Maybe it could be described as Best stripped to the core, with short, but poignant songs fuelled by the author's acid irony and sheer wit. Lyrically, Best and Bennett created a dark literature of their own. Dollhouse Songs, on the other hand could also fit in the afromentioned category, but with separate vocals, whose delivery I vastly prefer over the mixage of the two voices, and really awesome Digital Electronic Earape beneath their shouts, incitements, and orders alike. Personally, I like both, but I still have to get my hands on the new release.
I am not following so closely other people's lives, but I recall being told there was some "drama" and in discogs Sarah is crossed out from current members, probably not in the band anymore.
Crowd Pleaser is neat, but it still was almost like "could have been Whitehouse", while old stuff and new stuff has more of CE's own feel to it.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 02, 2024, 07:52:52 AMI am not following so closely other people's lives, but I recall being told there was some "drama" and in discogs Sarah is crossed out from current members, probably not in the band anymore.
Crowd Pleaser is neat, but it still was almost like "could have been Whitehouse", while old stuff and new stuff has more of CE's own feel to it.
Yeah they broke up over a year ago.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 01, 2024, 10:54:48 AMI don't have Airless Space, but songs that I know from album are so much more beat oriented and with softer sounds
Airless Space was one of my favourite albums of 2019. The main "beats" on the album I can think of are more like a metronome rather than anything dance-oriented. "Carnage Mechanics" contains some of Best's best lyrics.
I feel like Surge is less dynamic than Airless Space, which likely serves a purpose alongside the sterility that Mikko mentioned, but I've only listened two or three times since release and it seems like more of a slow burner.